Prima Porta Augustus Flashcards
What is this statue?
- A marble copy of a presumably bronze original
When was the statue commissioned?
After the Parthian negotiations (the Senate voted it in 20BCE)
Where was the Prima Porta Augustus found?
At Livia’s villa in Prima Porta
What are the main features of the statue?
Adlocutio pose
Contrapposto
Cupid on a dolphin
Breastplate with anatomical details
Drapery over his arm
What are the main features on the breastplate?
Apollo
A Roman and a barbarian exchanging the Roman standard
A wolf/dog
Scenes of Gods at the bottom and top
Potential depiction of an ally or conquered province
Explain Adlocutio pose and it’s significance here:
- This pose was used when generals gave speeches to their troops
- This tells us that Augustus is a general, and has a role of responsibility in the army, which connotes skills in rhetoric and strategic planning
Explain the contrapposto position and its significance:
- Most, if not all weight is on one leg
- The Contrapposto was a characteristic position of the Greek Classical style
Why was the Greek Classical style significant and what does this suggest?
- The Classical period was viewed by Romans as a period of high culture and outstanding moral fibre, with exceptional artistic and cultural accomplishments.
- By Augustus associating himself with this style, it is suggesting that he shares this outstanding moral character and will bring a similar golden age of artistic accomplishment
What is a famous example of the Contrapposto?
Doryphoros by Polykleitos
What do the similarities between Augustus and the Doryphoros suggest?
- Doryphoros was a spear carrier, so could suggest at Augustus also being an outstanding athlete and warrior
- Could also suggest at Augustus’ heroism
How does the Prima Porta’s similarities to the Doryphoros show Augustus’ heroism?
- Doryphoros was in the heroic nude
- Augustus wasn’t actually naked as Roman’s weren’t a fan of it, and they likely would have criticised him and his masculinity
- But the anatomical details on his breastplate could be a subtle reference to the heroic nude, but in a way that was still in line with Roman ideas
Scholarship for heroic nude:
‘The celebration of the nude in Greek art is inseparable from its celebration of heroic values… as a vessel of excellence and moral clarity’
- Mary Beard
Scholarship for Greek classical period:
‘The Romans… sought to emulate the Greek way of life, seeing in it a standard of high culture and moral integrity’
- Edith Hall
Explain (not in detail) the breastplate:
- Muscular torso, all the details of the chest and stomach are present despite it technically being covered
- Suggests at Augustus’ strong and muscular physique
Explain the importance of the drapery over Augustus’ arm:
- Could be evocative of a cloak worn by generals OR could be more evocative of a toga
- Toga’s were characterised by lots of excess material and could suggest at further oratory skill:
- The toga was symbolic of Roman citizenship and would be work in the Senate or law courts to emphasise speech and give the wearer Gravitas
Scholarship for the toga:
‘The toga was a garment that communicated Roman identity and authority. To appear in a toga… was to assume a posture of gravitas and moral integrity’
- Zanker
Explain the importance of Cupid on a dolphin:
- Cupid was the son of Venus, and the God of love
- He’s riding a dolphin, which creates a further reference to Venus as that was one of her sacred animals.
- this is a reference to Augustus’ divine ancestry
Further Cupid analysis + counter point:
- Augustus is much larger than Cupid, possibly suggesting he’s greater and more important than a God, which could suggest at his own divinity.
- Cupid might only have been there for structural integrity, so he might not have featured in the bronze original
Which Gods are pictured in the top scene on the breast plate, and what are they doing?
The Sky
- Pulling the fabric of the sky
Dawn
- Sprinkling morning dew (far right)
Sol
- in the centre
Which Gods are pictured in the bottom scene on the breastplate?
Diana (Apollo’s sister)
- Riding a hind (deer)
A God holding a cornucopia
- Could be Pax as that’s one of her symbols
- Cornucopia symbolic of plenty, but also of fertility
- Fertility symbolism means it could be an agricultural deity like Ceres (Roman Demeter) or Tellus (Mother Earth deity)
What is the significance of the breast plate as a whole?
- There is a representation of the sky and heavens at the top and potentially a depiction of the Earth at the bottom, if it is Tellus
- By having a scene of reconciliation, peace, or Roman superiority take place between the two two, it suggests that this scene stretches across the whole world
- Essentially implying world peace
Describe the Roman figure:
- A young man in military dress receiving the standard
- Could be Augustus, as he’s depicted as a young man
- Could also be Tiberius, who was Augustus’ stepson who was involved in the Parthian negotiations
- Or he could just be a generic symbol of Rome
- He’s wearing a Phrygian / Trojan cap
- Theres a dog or a wolf by his feet
What is the importance of the Phyrgian cap and potential dog?
- Wolf could be a reference to Romulus and Remus
- The Phyrgian cap relates back to Aeneas
- So there’s two symbols of the heroic ancestry of Rome that Augustus relates to
Describe the barbarian on the breast plate:
- Non-Roman man, obvious through the stereotypical barbarian representation of beard and trousers
- He’s handing back the standard to the Roman
Describe Apollo on the breastplate:
- We know its him because he’s holding a lyre and riding a griffin
- Shows Apollo being made central to Roman culture
Describe the unknown character on the breastplate:
- No general agreement on who this is
- But could be a personification of an allied or conquered nation / province
- This suggests at Rome’s military dominance
Describe Augustus’ face and what this shows:
- Still depicted as a young man
- Youthful face, rounded and smoothed in line with the Classical Style
- Trade mark hairstyle
- Clean shaven, not a barbarian
Explain the importance of Augustus’ hairstyle:
- Roman version of Alexander the Great’s hairstyle
- The front has more movement, in the same way that Alexander’s did
- Could be suggesting that he too is a great military commander
Explain what Augustus’ youthful portrayal could show:
- Youth is associated with heroism, as people like Hercules, Romulus, Aeneas, Hector etc were all depicted as young men (they were also all descended from Gods which helps this comparison)
- Similarity to Alexander the Great, who died young so was never depicted as old
- Similarity to Apollo, who was always depicted as a young man as well
- Associates himself with Divi Filius further, as ‘son’ implies vigour and youth
- Brand recognition, which is especially important so that he’s recognisable to the illiterate and ensures he’s constantly recognisable
- Anti-establishment / Innovative - populares were often in favour of changing things up- his youthful portrayal could be suggesting at something new and innovative
